Visa/reciprocity fee likely
 

This morning the media are reporting that the Presidenta is about to sign a decree that will require tourists to pay a fee upon arrival equal to that charged by some 116 countries for Argentine tourists (similar to Chile and Brazil).

Exempt will be those countries that allow Argentines visa-free travel (including other SA countries, EU members, Japan, Israel, South Africa, New Zealand, Morocco, Algeria, Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia.

In the case of the US, the fee will be US$131.

According to official statistics that are published on the website of the Ministry of Tourism, in 2007 there were 4,474,454 tourists, of whom 442,704 (nearly 10 per cent) were from the United States or Canada.

http://www.pagina12.com.ar/diario/el...008-10-06.html

John

While this measure is easy to justify, I still think that it is a stupid measure that ends up hurting tourism.

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I am with Gaucho100k on this -- reciprocity fee is easy to justify but still doesn't make sense when the objective is to attract as many tourists as possible.

When the North American and European economic situation is on a rough road -- and is only going to get rougher in the near term -- this approach doesn't help to attract tourists (who are already inclined to cut back on leisure activities due to declining real incomes) or even conference planners / conference attendees (when the business travellers are also trying to reduce costs tremendously in whatever ways they can).

I agree.

I wonder if Global Exchange will get to set up a cambio before immigration for tourists that don't have dollars/pesos ... Otherwise they will have to set up ATMs that can deliver enough cash ... but what about the network limitations for withdrawals? ... and the changing exchange rates ...

Yikes! We're flying down on Thursday and landing early Friday morning, hopefully it's not setup that quickly

It certainly would have made Mrs. ralfp & I think twice about our last minute weekend trip to BA (from IAH) last year. Given that we used miles and stayed 1 night (two on the airplane) the fee would have significantly altered the cost equation.

However, most trips aren't like that; the $131 fee would be a pretty small increase in cost. The real issue would probably be the distasteful feeling that the fee would give tourists, something that could easily alter perceptions of the experience (and chances of returning or recommending Argentina to friends).

I agree with you on this one - for most people, the extra cost is minimal when one considers the total trip cost and I think only a small percentage of tourists will let it affect their choice of destination.

As for the distasteful feeling, I get that often when entering the US and have to have my fingerprints and photo taken while the CBP officer is asking me in a (usually) brusque manner "What are you here for?"

Ouch !
 

Ouch ! This is not good news.

While I can certainly appreciate the sentiment of a "reciprocity" fee, I agree completely with previous posters that this has the potential to hurt the tourism industry. Actually I am surprised that only 10 % of Argentine visitors are from USA / Canada.

Am I safe in assuming that we do NOT pass through Argentine immigration if connecting in EZE ? Flying AA in November from DFW - EZE, then EZE - MVD.

Am I also safe assuming that this fee won't be collected for land / sea arrivals ( ala Chile ) ?

If anyone can provide an English translation to the key points in the article that would be much appreciated. I can pick out bits and pieces, but my Spanish is not good.

I would imagine the highest % is from Brasil.

There's really not much else than can be gleaned from the news media accounts.

We don't know, when, where, or how it will be implemented. Or whether multiple entries will be permitted with a single payment/passport notation.

John

Yes, you can stay airside and do not have to pass through Argentine immigration.

John

Correct - there is no need to leave the secure area or pass through immigration at EZE when connecting onto another international flight so no problems there.

Apart from that, it's not safe to assume anything until the law has been signed and implemented. According to the article that could be as early as this week but we'll have to wait and see.

According to the article, the Interior Ministry have based the plan on the norms applying in Brasil and Chile which would suggest that if Chile don't charge for an entry via land, Argentina won't either.

It goes on to say "Initially, the tax will be charged at airports which is where almost all tourists enter the country and where the infrastructure is already in place to be able to implement the system without difficulties. The immigration authorities will be able to designate the places where the tax will be charged, taking into account the ability to operate the system, the volume of passengers passing through and the available infrastructure"

I doubt it will be implemented at the land crossings (at least initially). Some of these are little more than a hut with a couple of officers monitoring the border so it would be difficult to implement the system there.

The article continues: "The money raised from the tax will go towards the maintenance and modernization of the infrastructure, resources and technology of the border points at air, land, sea and river borders"

Hope this quick translation helps clarify a little more.

Although I would reluctantly pay the fee on future visits, I've avoided visiting Brazil and Chile (by air) in the past due to the reciprocity fee. At least getting a visa from the Argentine embassy will not be required unlike Brazil.

If it has to be done, the fee should be good for the life of the passport like Chile.

I'll counter and support Argentine on this one though it'll hurt my pocketbook when I go there on future trips. Canada charges Argentinean citizens ARS 245 for single-entry visa, ARS 485 for a multiple-entry.

On my last few trips to Argentina, the bulk of tourists seem to be from Europe (lots of Italians, Spaniards, Brits and Germans - including a group that had brought their M-B geladewagens with them, and a smattering of New Zealanders. Maybe Argentina thinks it can forgo N. American (-Mexico) tourists, and I certainly hope they can.

Agree. I'm 100% in favor of visa fee reciprocity in those cases where a country believes that to be in its best interests.

It's worth pointing out that in such cases, Americans are completely in control of how much they pay for a visa. I see lots of complaints on FT about visa reciprocity fees, yet few efforts by those complainers to get the U.S. government to reduce visa fees imposed on foreign tourists.